If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Water Heaters

I'm turning away all my replacements since this cold snap came into play.

We have basements in my community and the majority are no walk-outs. This means steps, taking the old and the new through the house and sometimes that is extremely difficult for a one-man band.

Slab on grade homes aren't bad but usually either the condensate drain off the furnace buries the heater, along with the dryer that has to be removed completely and out of the entire laundry room because you have no working space, along with the ****ing ventilated shelving somebody put up. I'm getting pissed just typing this out! And if the gas line is burying the heater in and you've already priced it for straight in-out install? Good luck getting an upcharge. Even though you "asked" if the heater was in a clean and clear area, the majority don't understand what can make the install more involved.

The majority are price shoppers that call me when this happens along with some repeat customers. This is where I can give hourly rates, tell them the involvement of the install mentioning all points considered.

I'm getting really jaded in my attitude in my profession, that is clear. I've been doing this for quite some time and dealing with John Q. Public is a consideration to all of you who think being self-employed is glitz and glamour.

It's going to be a big surprise to my repeat customers when they find out the hard way that I'm not wasting my time on these.

Anyone else feel this way about heaters in general? Don't get me wrong, I've made $700 in one night doing emergency replacements of these but the customer never gets a good deal from me on a replacement. I charge for my time and I don't throw out those sale prices to get the phone to ring.

Every heater I encounter either never lines up to the old one, the size changes for insulation reasons and kicks that heater off the wall or changes the flue dimensions, whether it's a PowerVent or standard flue.

On a electric heaters......this is what I hear, "Well, it's only two water pipes and a electrical cord, how hard can that be?"

This is just venting on my part. I'm just tired of being asked to do plumbing work, work involving dangerous work moving those heaters around and being hustled down to handyman wages to do it.

Comment

Water heaters are one thing that I thought I made money on. ::sigh:: I've had about two replacements this year. As long as I don't have to pull a 70-year-old National up a set of stairs with a landing at the top, I'm usually OK.

I've been wondering how hard it would be to cut one in half with a grinder? I've had to chisel through the side to get sediment out and cutting one in half to carry 1/2 out at a time sounds easier.

I use a dolly that is similar to U-haul's and strap the thing on for the ride.

But of course since I went FR, I'd never pull one without looking at it first. No prices over the phone, ever. I learned that one a long time ago. And I never depend on the customer to tell me any details about the job. They will lie. (Or at least stretch the truth a little.)

1. Nothing's as easy as it looks.
2. Everything takes longer than you think.
3. Someone will always call at 4:00 on Friday afternoon.

Comment

I had a repeat cust. call recently,he said I have more work for you,a leak near the water meter,he said "I started to dig but hit a few small roots and my back is not that good"so I"ll pay you to dig it up.And pay he did as the dig area was at the base of a rather large tree. Small roots,almost weed like he says......................yea,forearm size!

Comment

A remodeler I spoke to tonight said that the average this year for him is 1 out of every 10 he bids he gets.

Everyone from the new construction market has flooded his trade and has utterly hammered his repeat business as some of his long standing customers have went by the way of cheaper to get their work done.

Comment

Hey Kid I'm 64 and still Crawling through " THE MUD, THE BLOOD AND THE BEER ,Quit Yer sniveling. I ache all over , before I get outa the rack at 5:30.
Remember " You can Marry more Money in 5 minutes ,than a lifetime of DRAIN CLEANING !

I can build anything You want , if you draw a picture of it , on the back of a big enough check .

Comment

Hey Kid I'm 64 and still Crawling through " THE MUD, THE BLOOD AND THE BEER ,Quit Yer sniveling. I ache all over , before I get outa the rack at 5:30.
Remember " You can Marry more Money in 5 minutes ,than a lifetime of DRAIN CLEANING !

sounds like you quoted joey

rick.

phoebe it is

Comment

Tool, give these guys a break, you're a Marine, your pain threshold is a little higher than most. You do realize since you've left the Corp, you can sleep in? Do I need to get Gunney to give you an order to act like a civilian.

Comment

In these politically correct times it's inappropriate to steriotype, instead we call it a demograph.I have repeatedly encountered one "demograph" over and over, that always wants work done cheap, expects the most and complains the most about the price when the work is done.Last week I got a call from a member of that "demograph", the accent was almost indistinguishable, requesting I drive out and give him an estimate.I explained that I charge a "trip fee" for in person estimates, he then explained he had tons of work he needed done on his plumbing and would be happy to have me do the work if I gave him a free estimate, I wouldn't budge...after five minutes I gave in and set a time for the next day, all the while telling myself this would be the last straw if I was right.I drove into the driveway a minimum $3/4 mil home...stood in the guys basement and at the point that he stated "I am on a tight budget and hope you can do this affordably" I walked out.My back hurts, my kinee's are going, my shoulders ache.When customers accidently forget certain details, like a water heater is buried behind their boiler, I tell them it's more or I pack and expect a trip fee.I'm all done with bargain hunters shopping for price only.A few years ago it was just my back, now it's my families survival.